: Manipur police personnel will soon be able to counter rebels fearlessly from bulletproof enclosures. They will also have the luxury of keeping tabs on extremists’ movement from towers having bullet shields.
The process of purchasing bulletproof mobile morcha (pickets) and bulletproof observation tower has been initiated with state government releasing Rs 135.73 lakh for procuring 13 numbers of Bullet Proof Mobile Observation Tower (10’x8’) and Rs 69.68 lakh for 98 numbers of Bullet Proof Mobile Morcha (Model-I), official sources in the state police department said Thursday.
An amount of Rs 2660 lakh has been earmarked for the Manipur Police under the modernization of police force, 2009-10 of the Union Ministry of Home Ministry Affairs (MHA).
A sum of Rs 2,21,00,000 has been released including the amount for procuring Bullet Proof Mobile Observation Tower and Bullet Proof Mobile Morcha (Model-I), the source disclosed.
The force is also awaiting clearance of the MHA for purchase of bullet proof jackets/bullet proof Kevlar MP 5 series of weapons along with other equipments like alcometer breadth, analyzer for FSL, inductivity coupled plasma, mass spectrometer etc. for Forensic Science Laboratory of the police department.
The Police modernization Scheme was implemented not only in theory but in full spirit as well with a serious attempt to place Manipur Police at par with other states of the country, the newsletter of the police department published on its 117th raising day celebration on October 19 last stated.
The state police department is also getting ready to felicitate the functioning of the SMAC, Mini Data Centre in the state intelligence wing of its own for effective counter insurgency operation (CI Ops). The process for bifurcation of the CID/SB into Special Branch and Security Wing was also initiated, the source said.
Manipur police department got Rs 1607.50 lakhs under MHA’s police modernization scheme during the year 2008-09.
So far Rs 668.80 lakhs have been utilized in the procurement of mobility, training, communication, security/intelligence equipments, office equipments and home guard modernization,
The Manipur police with the help of the Army and Security Force have been successful in their continued and relentless drive to check the insurgency movement in the state and have curbed subversive activities perpetrated by the more than 23 underground outfits operating in the state.
Now, the counter insurgency operation of the state police is not restricted only in the state but extended outside the state. Police commandos were successful in arresting more than 20 high ranking cadres of the KYKL, PULF and PREPAK from outside the state as well.
During the period from October, 2008 to September 2009, according to the newsletter 366 “extremists” have been killed in “encounters”, 1629 arrested, two major camps were busted and 200 persons were detained under the NSA.
Moreover, 411 different types of weapons and 4530 assorted ammunitions and a sum of Rs 39,91,672, 8000 kyats, 1,000 Won and 5 Ngultrum were recovered, police claimed in the news letter.